Music, Dialogues and Nostalgia

Music(read songs) have this magic of enabling time travel. Last night I happened to listen to a song from a movie and was immediately transported to my college days where we cat-walked(!!?!??!) to the music of the song. Was reminded of how we made mixed tapes for our fashion shows and group dances. Although I always complain about how Indian movies have songs in them, but to be honest the songs are the ones that bring these happy memories unexpectedly. Last night, I was all smiles and happy when I heard the song and my better-half was wondering why and my exact answer was “I am so happy right now, I could just die”. Yes, these songs are indeed magical. Songs from aasai takes me to my days in Bangalore. Hearing “Oruvan oruvan mudhalali” takes me to my undergrad days. Listening to Suprapadham or any rendition by M.S Subbulakshmi takes me to the month of margazhi when I was little. The song “Naane naana yaaro thana” and “Poovarasam poo poothachu” takes me to my days in village with my teenage aunt. Listening to the songs from Kadhalukku Mariyadhai takes me the first month of my marriage and the list goes on.

A sentence I often use, “andha kandraviya naan kannala paathen”. I have even forgotten where I picked this sentence from until last night. Last week by some miracle(Sun TV showing something worthwhile for me to watch and enjoy is indeed a miracle), the Sun TV showed a clip from a good old movie, Kalyana Parisu and I was immediately transported to my childhood. I used to listen to these funny movie dialogues(OLi Chiththiram) in the famous All India Radio and Vividh Bharathi along with my aunts, cousins, grandparents and the whole gang and laugh uncontrollably.

My hearty thanks to all those entertainers who continue to bring smiles to my face.

Invisible lives by Anjali Banerjee vs Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I heard about the book “Mistress of Spices” 3-4 of years ago.  But never had the inclination to read it as the synopsis did not interest me much. Then I came to know it is being made into a movie, so I thought I would watch it. Beginning of this year, I found this book “Invisible Lives” by Anjali Banerjee in the local library. So decided to give it a shot. What does it remind me of, “Mistress of Spices”? Then I saw the movie “Mistress of Spices” last night, it confirmed my doubt. Invisible lives has the same knot as the other. Mistress of spices deals with an Indian woman who can heal people with the magic of spices and whose magic gets clouded when she falls in love with a caucasian man. Invisible lives deals with an Indian woman who can heal people with the saris that she chooses for them and whose magic gets clouded when she falls in love with a caucasian man. Do you see the similarity or is it just me? Am I the only person who knows about these two books?